Latest Fashion Trends
for 2008

You
will find all the latest new fashion looks for Spring 2008 listed
here at fashion-era. At this time, I sense a fashion
exposure that brings a liberating breezy change. Spring 2008 is replete with fresh airy-light fashion
in clear, bright, plain and solid colours. There is also exuberant pattern
and print. With the new fashion trends for Spring and Summer 2008 you too can bloom anew. This garment collage above, illustrates the
Spring 2008 colour
palette. Full details of the retailers are given below.

2008 fashion colour is cheerful without being tawdry. The
soft tones of sugar almond tints offer mellow contrasts to neon bright colours. Lemon,
yellow and gold are colour trends that bring a glow of
bright light to everything, especially to bags and footwear.
The fashion Pantone's trendsetter tones for Spring Summer 2008 are clear and bright. Nautical and traditional
looks offer navy, red and white as combinations ideally
suited for both work and casual wear. The optical
effects of these new arrangements of stripes and spots all add a
classic edge.

Printed pattern, especially floral pattern, is broad in its
fashion application. It appears not only on clothes, but also as
footwear material. There is a strong footwear trend for bright colour and lively pattern.
The patterned footwear trend started with animal print patterns,
and now we have moved on to patchwork and floral print shoes.

In general clothing, there is even more pattern and texture as
designers create layered looks. They sometimes use an eclectic patchwork of
mixed plain and printed fabrics,
fabric flowers, cutwork, appliquι, see-through or satin contrast borders
and piped contrast edges.

Botanical
or floral prints bring the garden onto clothing and
accessories. The impact making change within floral
prints, is that they are often painterly with the appearance of
brushstrokes. Trends in fabrics show materials often have the look of hand painting, or graffiti
like scribbles and smears; whilst some are more colour oriented
and appear spray, tie, or Ombre dip dyed.

Note too, many other ditsy retro florals influenced by 40,
50s and 70s dolly print found on cutie blouses. Naturally, a
long stem with a flower head makes for great life-size border prints,
and from that innovative new silhouette styles have emerged.

Left - Cute print dress mixing several fashion trends in one from Marks
and Spencer's Spring Summer 2008 Per Una range.
Gorgeous Lily Cole models this fashionable summer dress which illustrates
patchwork, abstract floral printed fabric, semi-sheer tiers and
a new fascination with the colour blue.
Right - The
original inspiration of one of the D&G patchwork print dresses.

This soft feminine look is terrific with metallic footwear,
but the look can easily be toughened up by wearing calf strapped
Gladiator sandals, or heavier flat footwear such as shoe boots. This was a trend back in the
1980s when girly Laura Ashley dresses were made to look more
aggressive when solid black Doc Marten shoes were were teamed
with the dolly prints.

For
spring 2008 fashion trends, prints
are painterly with joyful expressive marks that suggest the
luxuriant artist brushstrokes only found in hand painting.
The ethereal coloured effects are of vibrant watercolour paints
that are ripe with the botanical succulence of a cascading
flower filled jardiniθre.

Watch for fabrics with super size cabbage roses, daisies, tea roses, orchids,
poppies and exotic blooms. Part of this look is enhanced by tie
dye watercolour effects where pattern fades into watercolour
runs or
colour bleeding.

Think of fabrics and accessories that have the appearance of
a work-of-art canvas. These hand painted fabrics often have
prints and textures that concentrate on flowers, blooms, buds
and blossoms, but some prints are more abstract. Look out for mass market versions
of hand painted effects.

These blooms have varying tactile characteristics, ranging
from flower petals that appear paper-dry like a pastel, silken
like a wet paint petal, or like a vibrant effusion of watercolour like
tints. Others have the chalky sheerness of pressed flowers.

Left - Luscious green toned floral print from Prada.

To add to the floral effect that is so fashionable, many dresses
are trimmed with fabric roses, or flowers made of silk chiffon
and attached as a corsage to a belt sash.

Fabric trends reveal silky
satins, lace, bead fringe, cutwork and semi-sheer fabric that is set
against transparent wisps of materials that float and mesmerize.
As the body shifts and moves, so the fabric sways in the breeze
like a windswept flagpole.
Like fluttering butterfly wings, tea dresses and maxi dresses
all make use of the airy lightness of barely there fabrics with
flounces and ruffles that could take on any wind machine.

All this leads us to a season without restrictions, which is
fresh, light, transparent, young modern and romantic. Hence underwear yet again, becomes outerwear. Read more about the
underwear to daywear look in
wardrobe tips. Fashion image left courtesy of the Evans Spring/Summer 2008 collection - Tie dye maxi dress £55/75.

Ownership
of the dress has become an established fashion trend again.
But to have the latest spring 2008 fashionable dress, look to
the colour and pattern as well as the fashion silhouette.
Left - Principles Top from Principles Spring Summer 2008 Main
Collection.

Many of the latest feminine and flirtatious dresses are in Ombre
dyed fabrics which rely on graduated colour bleeding of the
dyes.

Colour is applied to fabrics using old techniques such as Ombre
dip dyeing, which creates a graduated strength of dye effect. To
this add tie and dye, batik, spray dyeing or a combination of
sublimate transfer dye techniques and a novel and often unique
fabric is the end result.

This dye technique can be a very dramatic strong look so if all
that merging dye is too much for you in a full garment, simply
select a scarf and dilute the look rather than let it dominate
your image.

Volume
in clothing took us by surprise just a few years ago, but by
2007 wearing a fuller cropped jacket, swing coat, yoked top or
loose tunic dress was the norm. Women had adopted the
volume fashion trend once they discovered if there was too much
fullness they could easily reign it in with a belt. Now,
Spring Summer 2008 fashion trends, show that volume is still
with us and the cropped jacket remains popular.

Top Fashion Trend Tip 2008 - Full Skirts

Hot Tip - 2008 Must-have - Fuller skirts

Volume in SKIRTS

In particular skirt shapes have been refreshed again, so the
volume trend seems new and lively.
Easy gathered dirndl skirts that swish and swing, or full skirts
consisting solely of tiered ruffles are a newer way to adopt
volume. The waist can be a focus of interest if you have a
waist to show.

Hot Tip - 2008 Must-have - Fuller skirts

This short Dirndl skirt and jacket shown left is from New
Look Spring Summer 2008 fashion collection. Note the easy
carefree movement in the floral printed skirt. No fuss, easy to
wear, but pretty yet practical for the uplift you will get with
summer days.

Full skirts are always popular with women since they enable
free leg movement. With time, whatever your age, the
Summer of 08, is one you will probably recall as the summer of
lightness and freedom in fashion trends.

Even
straight dresses can have plenty of volume. A top trend this
summer is for draped Grecian looks. Dresses with Grecian
goddess draping, and volume gathers, are often straight in line,
but the fabric is generous yet controlled. Look to the
grace of global inspiration with sari asymmetric style draped
dresses, tunics or one shoulder Grecian gowns. One
shoulder toga looks have even reached swim suits. The
focus is on the neckline so don't clutter that gorgeous collar
bone with neck jewellery, but do add important earrings and
bangles or cuffs along the arm. A short sharp bob hair style or
an updo will create a clearer view of the nape of the neckline
and the statement making shoulder line than long hair extensions
might.

Whilst these dress and top examples are sleeveless, it is worth
observing how many tops and dresses have puff fullness and
ruffles that increase sleeve/shoulder volume substantially.

Luscious
fabrics in crisp taffetas, soft satins and silks that glimmer
and shimmer all create new ways with ruffles.
Some are soft,
feminine and romantic, others bold and dominant in their
intricate exaggerated execution. Ruffles show signs
of being a strong fashion trend, but make sure you wear the
ruffles rather than the ruffles wearing you. Tie fabric belts and bows feature heavily as on these
two blouses from Wallis. Right - Wallis SS08 Look Book Fuchsia rose corsage blouse
£30, 47.
Roses are fashion trend that will grow on you in summer 2008.

Volume in Pants

Tailoring also brings back the Tuxedo evening trouser suit,
with its defined shoulders and wide trousers. These white pant
suits have a go anywhere feel to them.

Right - New Look Spring Summer 2008 wide slouch leg trouser
suit in white. This is a sophisticated version and
formal tailoring that suits many women who find it easy to wear
in real everyday working situations.

Modern
tribal prints are paired with clean safari styling in grown-up
hues of vanilla, mocha, camel, olive and coffee, perhaps high lighted with chartreuse
or tomato red. Tailored separates reference the 70s with
sleeveless and cropped jackets paired with tailored skirts,
shorts and flared walking pants.

Relaxed easy pocketed trousers, or dhoti trousers with safari
or military styling features can be bought in any length from
cropped, to totally covering the foot. Safari is versatile
and can reference almost any modern fashion trend of 2008.

When choosing safari trend clothing, select colours which are
timeless and can be updated in other years. Test neutral beiges, creams, ecru, grey or found-in-nature tones of
rust, old gold, khaki or olive green against your skin tone. Choose the fabric colouration that enhances you, since safari can be
a severe look. Soft cottons worked up into safari jumpsuits and
jackets with useful large safari pockets make a great travel
item.

Jumpsuits, also called all-in-ones, were a great fashion trend
of the 1960s and the
1970s. Now have truly been revived and
since they are so practical they are sure to be a winner. Preen's lovely parachute silk jumpsuits are not to be confused
with the
all-in-one 1980s
shell suits of yesteryear. Avoid any jumpsuits
you see made of nylon rip-stop style parachute fabric, or you may
well get a lot of dιjΰ vu strange stares as people think - shell
suit season! Choose this look and the fabric with great
care.

Catsuits, or all-in-ones can be as classily glitzy as the Debenhams creamy oyster evening wear
jumpsuit far left, or as cool and collected as the black safari
style everyday wear near right.

Citrus traverses the whole range of fashionable colours, from
lime, lemons, grapefruit, to rich orange, mandarin and
tangerine. Another big colour trend this summer is the golden group of
yellow through to molten gold. Yellow is a hot colour for
2008. Citrus green chartreuse meets lemon, with a popular mix
for fall 2008 being soft contrasting pastels teamed with a
gentle lemon tone.

If classic and deluxe is your style then you can be
fashionable by following updated global looks that are set to be
top fashion trends. One step away from the painterly brushstroke
effects are the sophisticated, graphic art prints with graffiti
like imagery and earthy primitive tribal art effects.

Ethnic has given way to tribal earthy traditional prints, which fete African,
Asian
or Ikat influences and which work
perfectly with the simple silhouette of garments such as the Kaftan,
Kimono or Djellabah. The impressive prints remain almost intact
by the simplicity of cut, and the tribal print is statement
making. If you need even more of a statement simply pile on the
tribal jewellery with native American Indian, bead and wooden
trinkets providing textural contrast that suits the mood.

One step from tribal is deluxe drama utilising everything in
nature that is seen as exotic. Think Luxe fabrics in animal and
feather textures. Tactile fabrics range from moulded figure warrior-woman style, to the equally exotic feel of silken embellished
loose flowing robes.

Faded distressed denim is the newest fashion trend for
standard blue denim. This will especially suit those who
simply cannot bear to wear bright coloured denims. Choose
the softest faded pale blue fabric that has a washed out earthy eco
feel that says the denim is softened up with so much washing.

Pale blue denim when frayed and faded looks terrific teamed with
white shirts. Victoriana frilled, ruched, ruffled
whitework or dolly print dresses and patchwork blouses all bring
out the summer Boho and cowboy looks so many of you still love.

Americana gives us looks that are clean cut, by utilising
stripes, spots and stars. These are given a wide degree of variation when mixed or
contrasted in motif size.
The ideal place for this look may well be best confined to the
political venues of the supporters at presidential elections.
This look merges with 'Nautical' when worked in the usual navy,
red and white colour scheme. Tagging behind are Navajo and Rockabilly,
both looks which highlight styling of previous
generations. Stars add a
zany edge, but already I find stars are a tired look.

Accessories always help give any fashion ensemble the look of
the moment. Try wearing a large statement necklace, a wide
bangle cuff, or a new narrow skinny belt with your latest fashion
purchases. Volume, or lack of it, can create new looks and new
silhouettes. Consider for example the trend in bag shapes. Oversized bags
have reached their peak. Volume is reducing in bags with smaller
bags emerging as the bag shape trend. One way toward
this has been the introduction of the clutch shape with both large and
small clutches in store.

Hot Tip - On the up - smaller bags and clutches.

Any clutch bag, large or small is fashionable, but the
clutch shape heralds the way to the purchase of other smaller
bags. Frankly anyone who has owned an oversize bag knows
all too well how possessions gravitate toward it. All too
soon the bag weighs as much as overnight or walk on luggage.
Experts suggest that a bag AND its contents should weigh no more
than 2lb if damage to shoulders and back are to be prevented.
Read more about
clutch bags in
wardrobe tips.

If you are using accessories only to update your fashion image,
then add to either the clutch or smaller handbag add some Gladiator sandals, or
wooden cone heel peep-toed shoes. Wedge shoes, espadrilles
and ankle strap style shoes will all add that 2008 spring summer
edge. Narrow skinny belts will add the latest belt trend shape to your outfit.

Feel the mood in the accessories of Spring Summer
2008. They are quite different fashion trends from earlier years
of the noughties. Think patterned and printed footwear,
the clutch and belts on the waist. Finally, place a few cuffs or bangles in a line up your wrist and you'll sail into the spring
summer 2008 fashion season.

The
noughties, the first decade of the new millennium, moves on and
we are almost at the point where what we have worn the past 8 or
9 years, has almost defined a decade of fashion history.
What you choose to wear this year will certainly count in the
records of costume history. Have fun shopping online, or
in the high street malls - I know I will.

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